AMONG other shares at 12.07pm (AEST), surfwear retailer Billabong International firmed three cents to $8.00 after it agreed to buy 38 retail stores including the Surf Dive 'n' Ski retail banner from the General Pants Group.
Oil stocks were mixed after oil prices increased overnight.
Woodside Petroleum rose 42 cents to $44.30, Oil Search added five cents to $6.20 but Santos slipped seven cents to $12.74.
The gold price eased from its record high, after making its eighth consecutive quarterly gain.
The price of gold in Sydney at 12.14pm (AEST) was $US1308.00 per fine ounce, down $US1.20 from Thursday's close at $US1309.20.
Australia's biggest gold miner, Newcrest Mining, gained 33 cents to $40.00.
The top-traded stock by volume at 12.24pm (AEST) was oil and gas explorer Jupiter Energy, with 58.04 million shares worth $2.19 million changing hands.
Jupiter shares were 0.5 cents higher at 3.8 cents.
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National turnover at 12.17pm (AEST) was 924.54 million shares worth $1.56 billion, with 455 stocks up, 433 down and 319 unchanged.
Genesco beats expectations, will buy competitorAustralian shares slightly up at noon
